PÂte BrisÉe Classic French Pie And Tart Pastry Food

PATE BRISEE PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together the flour and salt.
• Using a pastry cutter, large-tined fork, or a food processor on pulse setting, cut the chilled butter into the flour until it resembles coarse sand with a few pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.
• Sprinkle the water evenly over the mixture and toss gently a few times, just until it forms a ball that holds together.
• Separate the dough into two balls, flatten slightly into thick disk shapes, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for several hours before working with it. For fast preparation: Put the dough in the freezer for 40 to 50 minutes before working with it.

PÂTE BRISÉE - CLASSIC FRENCH PIE AND TART PASTRY

Steps:

• Mix together the all-purpose flour, sugar and salt.
• Cut in 1/2 cup of cold unsalted butter with a pastry knife until you have pea-sized pieces.
• Then add 1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
• Work in the butter and vegetable shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces.
• Add 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon of ice water. Drizzle over the flour and fat mixture.
• The dough should look rough, not smooth (almost raggedy). CHEF TIP: Overworking pastry dough will make the dough tough and the flaky characteristic will be lost.
• Divide the dough in half, press each half into a round flat disk, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably for several hours, or for up to 2 days before rolling.
• The dough can also be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 6 months; thaw completely before rolling.

PATE BRISEE (FRENCH SHORTCRUST)

Steps:

• Place flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse 3 or 4 times to mix. Add cubed butter; pulse until crumbly.
• Pour slow stream of ice water through feed tube while the processor is on low speed until dough holds together when pinched, making sure not to add too much.
• Divide dough evenly into 2 pieces. Form dough into discs on a lightly floured work surface. Wrap discs with wax paper or parchment paper before wrapping with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until use.
• Roll dough out on a lightly floured work surface using a lightly floured rolling pin between 2 pieces of parchment paper to desired thickness when ready to use.
• Butter two 9-inch tart pans. Roll crusts 1 at a time onto the rolling pin and unroll over tart pans. Gently push dough into the prepared pans, molding to the sides. Trim edges with fingers or a knife. Fill and bake according to filling recipe instructions.

TART CRUST

Steps:

• Put the flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor, and pulse once or twice to mix. Add the butter, and pulse twice more, so it's still in very large pieces. Steadily pour the ice water into the machine while pulsing it as quickly as you can, until the butter is still visible in large smears and the dough is pushing up the sides of the bowl and looks like damp bread crumbs (you may not need to add all the water).
• Scrape the dough crumbs into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The dough will continue to hydrate, but if it still feels powdery and dry, wet your fingertips and flick a little cold water onto the crumbs.) After 1 hour, divide the dough into two even balls, gently squashing each into a disc, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Put one in the fridge, to roll out for the potato-and-radicchio tart, and put the other in the freezer so that you have dough ready to go for another tart.